Thursday, 26 November 2009

The question of Garth Crooks

Garth Crooks has been off my radar, but last night he turned up on Radio Five Live and spent 3 hours spouting ill-informed, patronising drivel. And I though: if he can do it, so can I! So here I am.

Among Garth's more outlandish statements was this one on the topic of building a new football stadium and how it can improve things for your club: "it works, Arsenal are the proof of that!".

Well are they now? Lets think....no they are not. In the preceding ten years to the move the the Emirates, at the gloriously ancient and marbled Highbury they won three championships and four FA Cups, including two doubles in 1998 and 2002. Since moving to the swanky new Emirates, they may be able to cram in another 20,000 or so glory hunters a match, and I dare say their corporate facilities are smashing if you like that sort of thing, but they have won a sum total of fuck all.

Is that proof that moving to a new ground works? It is to Garth, and he makes his living knowing about this sort of thing.